The first time celebrating a holiday after losing a loved one can be especially hard, and that is often felt most acutely at Christmas. Our consumer culture tells us that it’s “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” and if we don’t exude that joy too, we much be a “Grinch.” But really, it’s OK to not be OK at Christmas.
This year at St. Jude’s we will be holding a “Blue Christmas” service, sometimes called a “Longest Night” service. It will be held on Saturday, December 20 at 6:00pm. This service acknowledges that Christmas is hard for a variety of reasons, and offers a quieter, gentler way of experiencing the hope and light of the Christmas story. You don’t need to leave your pain and grief at the door.
The service will include prayer, scripture, and hymns, as well as an opportunity to light a candle in remembrance, and the option to receive an anointing for healing.
We warmly invite you to join us on December 20th as we remember that no darkness, no matter how deep, can hide us from the Light of Christ.